Past Echoes

Chapter 3

Too Late to Turn Back

"You can lay down and die, or you can get up and fight, but that's it - there's no turning back."

-Jon English

The morning started with the sun's rays struggling to break through the newly formed clouds. Chris woke as the faint light reached it tendrils towards his face. He quietly freed himself from between his two boys and headed out to heed nature's call. Finishing up he began to go through their gear. As he started making up breakfast he contemplated the day's agenda. Finishing up the food he heard noises stumbling towards him. Buck, usually the last of the family to wake, sat next to him still half asleep.

"Hey sleepy head," Chris ruffled the dark bedhead. Looking around and not

seeing his early bird he asked, "Where's Vin?"

"Sleeping," Chris raised an eyebrow in concern at the mumbled answer. Vin rarely ever slept passed the sun rising. Probably a byproduct of spending numerous mornings with the sun shining in his face camping with his birth father. His ankle was either paining him more then he let on or he was emotionally drained from what was beginning to feel like a fool's errand.

Passing a filled plate to Buck, Chris stood up to go check on the younger boy. He found Vin struggling to get his boot on silent tears running down his cheek. Vin ignores him as he calls out his name; continuing to force his boot over his swollen foot. Placing his big hands on the shaking shoulders he keeps them there, even as Vin fights his touch. The young boy persists on getting ready to hike up the rest of the mountain. He struggles to stand against the hands on his shoulder and his own body. Finally, the boy deflates losing all fight; he glares at the floor of the tent.

"Vin look at me," Chris commanded waiting until the moist eyes meet his before continuing, "We'll find it, just not today."

Crying in failure and pain Vin surrenders into Chris' embrace. His guardian strokes his long curls waiting for the boy to let out some of his hurt. The scene is so familiar that Chris' breath hitches in his throat, remembering holding Buck through his own raw pain.

They sit that way until Vin's breathing evens out. The younger male turned away from his guardian to wipe at his eyes self-consciously. Trying to spare the boy his pride Chris stands up and stretches, then pulls Vin up as well. They head over to Buck and the first meal of a new day. Buck had by that time eaten, dished out breakfast for the other two, put out the fire, cleaned and packed up everything in camp but their sleeping bags and the two plates.

"It's gonna rain," Vin mumbles into his breakfast.

Chris sighed looking again at the gathering dark clouds, "That's what I figured to."

"What's the plan, Chris?" Buck asked sending a concerned glance towards his adopted brother's slumped figure.

Chris also looked towards the disheartened little boy. With a sigh he steeled himself for a fight and made up his mind. For the sake and safety of his little family they were going to head back down the mountain. When time, weather and emotions permitted they would again quest up the mountain to search for Vin's answers. Next time they would come with the authorities, based on the sick feeling in pit of Chris' gut, backup would be required. Clearing away his and Vin's unfinished meal he faced his two boys.

"We're heading back down," Chris declared watching Vin hunch into himself further.

"Now Chris we could wait out a little rain and then get going again," Buck protested.

"No Buck. We're leaving," Chris ended the debate as he stood to put away last night's sleeping arrangements He squeezed Vin's shoulder as he passed but got no response.

"Well it's kept this long. It'll be fine. We can come up again, maybe in a few weeks. We'll find it in no time," Buck tried to tell the other boy cheerfully.

Vin just gave him a defeated look before limping a short ways away, into the trees, to be alone. Buck dropped his head with his own sense of defeat before bracing himself to go help Chris finish packing up. By the time they finished Vin was back putting away the last of the kitchen gear. The campsite that just the night before that held so much hope for the future now only held regret. They turned back to face the trail they'd just hiked up the day before without them finding what they had sought. Chris handed his pack to Buck, as they had previously arranged, kneeling down to allow the injured Vin access to climb up his back. Vin just set his mouth in a stubborn line and gave a look of defiance as he reached for a short Y-shaped limb he'd found to use as a crutch. His two older companions sighed quietly as they followed his limping form down the trail.

They made slow progress and had to stop often to allow the awkwardly moving youngest to catch his breath. Buck and Chris felt more strain as they had divided Vin's load up between themselves took advantage of the rests as well. They had fallen into a strained silence. Nobody was happy about the outcome but nothing they said could really fix it. So they plodded on silently with heavy hearts.

"Chris!" Vin stopped suddenly with wide eyes and yelled out in warning before a gun went off down the trail.

The three Larabees dropped to the ground. Slowly they made their way to the tree line for added protection as the shots continued. Chris' instincts as a soldier and cop took over as he looked into the fearful eyes of his boys. He ordered them to stay put followed by an intense glare for added warning. Before he quietly began to make his way through the foliage to maneuver himself behind their shooter.

"Federal Agents! Hold your fire!" A slightly familiar voice shouted from up the trail. Chris racked his brain to place the owner of the voice. He catches a glimpse, a flash of gray fabric through the trees. The identity of his new backup clicks in his mind; it is the forest ranger he talked with when they first arrived. The Ranger, Yates, Chris recalls, must of spotted the boys because he is headed to where they are hid. He could get them up the trail away from the idiot with the gun.

"Ranger Yates get them the hell out of here!" Chris barks out an order.

The ranger starts manhandling Chris' protesting boys up through the woods, yelling back down to the officer, "I radioed for backup, they're should be right behind me. I've got them Larabee."

Chris let out a sigh of relief before renewed shooting tore his eyes away from his retreating sons and back down the trail, to the still active threat. At least his boys were safe.